* I don't know if this is the right place to post this, or even if this kind of talk is allowed. Sorry if I break any rules. *

I find myself in an odd position. I'm a believer in following societies laws, even those that I don't agree with, but I find that the quality of my life increases with the occasional consumption of THC.

In my opinion the pros for legalizing marijuana outweigh the cons. Crime rates would decrease, we could raise quite a bit of money off of taxes, and we could stop spending so much money trying to prevent the growth and distribution of it. I feel pretty strongly that it is less dangerous than alcohol and less hazardous than tobacco.

I want to know how my fellow MMAFers feel about the drug. Do you use marijuana regularly? Do you prefer it to alcohol? How strict are Cannibus laws in your area/country? Do you want to see marijuana legalized? For medicinal use only or recreational as well?

I want to keep it civil, and I respect your opinions if they are different than mine. I just want to know what people from other areas think of it.

Here are some good points for and against the legalization of marijuana to get the discussion going:

My somewhat professional opinion is that smoking MJ is equally or even less dangerous than smoking tobacco.

I have yet to hear a con that doesn't apply to alcohol and/or tobacco as well. That leads me to believe [conspiracy mode activated] the one reason why it's not legal is because of the tobacco lobby. Actually, forget the conspiracy mode, it's basically common knowledge.

I've drank a lot in my life, I've done more hard drugs than I care to remember, I've got long-term health problems from my hard drug use....Marijuana NEVER affected me negatively. I am on the side of "it's harmless, doesn't lead to drug problems (it started with a no-good boyfriend), and doesn't kill like alcohol or tobacco".

I have a roll-up in the morning and in the evening and it never once spiralled out of control, so I can't empathise with the "it leads to hard drug addiciton" arguement.

Marijuana has helped enhance my life, helped calm down other "issues" I have, and I can happily go through a week without any withdrawal. I get horrendous withdrawal from other hard/recreational drugs, and that's my own battle, but Marijuana is just an added 'bonus' to my life. Not a necessity by any means.

I have smoked weed a few times. Never had anything go wrong while doing it. I don't do it anymore. I stick to alcohol these days but I think it is completely ridiculous to have alcohol legal and marijuana illegal.

Smoked spice once as well. That stuff sucks. Should stay away from it.

It should totally be legal. The only logical explanation why it is still illegal is because of pharmaceutical companies and other companies like paper etc. which could go out of bussiness because of it. Seriously, in our day and age there's so much scientific proof for marijuana having more pros then cons that there is absolutely no reason for it to still be illegal, it's ridiculous.
Though I'd actually be up for all drugs being legal or at least decriminalized. Listen, it's your life and it should be your choice, and with all the information you can get on drugs (talking about the "hard" stuff) you're still dumb enough to do them... and even if they are illegal, if you want to do them, you will do them, if you don't, then you wont do them legal or illegal. And you shouldn't be punished for it by going to prison (unless ofcourse you hurt others), instead you should get help by going to rehab etc.

Legalizing all drugs is an awful idea. It isn't all about the person wanting to do it. It is the people around the person doing it. I mean do you really think its a good idea to have people running around all coked out or on bath salts? Certain drugs can make people dangerous.

I am all for pot being legal, but there is literally no reason in the world to start legalizing all this other crap.